Ep 172 Celiac Awareness Month

May 12, 2021 /

A Conversation with Melissa Secord of the CCA

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

On this episode I catch up with Melissa Secord, Executive Director of the Canadian Celiac Association.  Melissa, along with her small staff is handling the promotion of May, Celiac Awareness Month from a big picture, national perspective.  We chat about some of the initiatives that are being done to “Shine a Light” on celiac disease, by having iconic buildings and structures across the country lit up green during this month.  If you live near a “Shine the Light” event, please take a photo and post it with the hashtag #ShineALightOnCeliac.  We talk about the tag line, or slogan for this year – “It’s Not Pretend”, how it was arrived at and who the target audience is.  Melissa is also able to share with us the participation that large and small companies as well as private sponsors are having during this month.  I was asked to make three recipe videos using Promise Bread products as a thank you to them for being a lead sponsor of Celiac Awareness Month.  The videos will be airing on the CCA’s social media beginning on Sunday May 16th, Celiac Awareness Day.  Please watch and share – I really enjoyed making them (and you get to see me in my kitchen).  If you want to share other information about your celiac journey online, please use the hashtag #ItsNotPretend, to be part of the conversation.  There’s lots going on at the national level to do with Celiac Awareness Month, as well, there are initiatives across the country on a smaller scale.  To get the information on those activities I will be talking with Julie Greene of the CCA for next week’s episode.

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

My Thoughts –

I’ve been involved with the CCA for many years.  Usually there is something special that I do to help with awareness during May.  Coming from this perspective, I am concerned about a post I saw on Instagram about Celiac Awareness Month.  This post was from another country, it was someone who I follow, but don’t know.  But it made me think. 

The post was a rant.  We all have the right to rant.  Goodness knows, a difficult restaurant experience, a debate with a family member, a lost opportunity to spend time with family and friends, all because of celiac disease, is cause for any of us to rant.  The subject of the rant was that this woman had been to three stores to get a variety of gluten free foods (she made it clear she doesn’t go out often because of covid), and found most of the shelves bare, and furthermore there were no specials, or signs mentioning Celiac Awareness Month.  She compared the effort of the stores and food suppliers to other promotions for vegan foods, or healthful diets.  She was very upset that she had been to three stores, couldn’t get what she wanted, and felt the large food companies were all take and no give.

The comments were very supportive of her and her thoughts.  Again, we all feel left out at times. 

I have a different take on the situation.  Yes, it’s upsetting and frustrating, but who is supposed to be making the companies aware of May as a special month?  In Canada, the CCA sends out press releases and has a very good working relationship with many large gluten free companies whom they don’t hesitate to ask for sponsorship for May.  Obviously, things are different in other countries.

How could this situation be different next year for this woman?  Get involved –

ask the celiac association why no awareness with food companies;

write to the food companies yourself;

inform the store managers about Celiac Awareness Month and ask them for the contact to speak to at their head office;

plan a local event to get the smaller, local gluten free companies involved; and

just do something to promote awareness with companies who have disappointed you.

The last thing I want is for us to feel like victims, and sometimes a rant does that.  On purpose, I didn’t respond to the woman, she didn’t need to be challenged when her frustrations are real.  I’m hoping though, that she will realize that awareness comes from all of us, and if the large food companies who supply her grocery stores aren’t with the program this year, something is going to have to happen to change things.  What’s the old saying – “be the change!”